The article deals with its use in Literary Arabic which slightly differs from varieties of Arabic.

Al- is not a permanent component of words, as shown here with al-Baḥrayn (or el-Baḥrēn), the Arabic for Bahrain.

Al- (Arabic: الـ‎, also transliterated as el- as pronounced in varieties of Arabic) is the definite article in the Arabic language; a particle (ḥarf) whose function is to render the noun on which it is prefixed definite. For example, the word كتاب kitāb 'book' can be made definite by prefixing it with al-, resulting in الكتاب al-kitāb 'the book'. Consequently, al- is typically translated as the in English.

Unlike most other particles in Arabic, al- is always prefixed to another word and it never stands alone. Consequently, most dictionaries will not list it as a separate word, and it is almost invariably ignored in collation. By the same token, al- is not a permanent component of the word to which it is prefixed. It is added and removed to toggle between the definiteness and indefiniteness of the word.

As a particle, al- does not inflect at all–not for gender, plurality, grammatical case, etc.

Overview[link]

To put al- into perspective, there are many ways in which Arabic words can be made definite. These include the use of personal pronouns like "me", the use of proper nouns like "Saudi Arabia", demonstrative pronouns like "this man", relative pronouns like "the man who ...", vocation like "O man", possession like "my man", and of course the definite article like "the man".^[1] Apart from possession, prefixing a noun with al- is the weakest form of definiteness.^[2] That is, saying "the man" does not define the man being referred to as clearly as saying "this man", for example.

Arabic does not have an indefinite article like the English a or an. A noun, adjective, adverb, etc. is considered indefinite if is not otherwise definite.^[3]

Etymology[link]

The etymology of al- is the study of how it developed and how it changed over time. There are several major opinions in regards to the origins of the Arabic definite article.

[edit] Al- comes from Arabic lā

According to Jacob Barth, who was lecturer in Hebrew at the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary, al- comes directly from the Arabic negating particle, لا lā.^[4] He conjectures that lā became al- through a process of metathesis. That is to say, the lām and the alif swapped positions. It is noteworthy that the negation denoted by lā and the definiteness denoted by al- are in stark contrast to each other.

Barth also asserts that lā could have resulted in al- through a process of syncope. That is to say, the alif in lā and the vowel over the lām were dropped – resulting in a sukūn over the lām – and a volatile or elidable hamza was added to compensate.

David Testen argues against both of these explanations. He says that there is no corroboratory evidence for either metathesis or syncope.

[edit] Al- comes from Arabic la

There is a theory that al- comes from the same root as the asseverative-cum-precative particle, لـَ la-; this is the la- used at the beginning of nominal sentences for emphasis.^[5]

[edit] Al- comes from a proto-Semitic particle

A popular theory is that al- comes from the same proto-Semitic source as the Hebrew definite article ה־ ha-.^[6] This theory is based primarily on the fact that the two share many similarities. Both particles are prefixed to nouns and they both geminate with certain following letters.^[7] Moreover, both particles are not prefixed to non-final nouns in a genitival construction.^[8] And finally, both are prefixed to relative clauses.^[9] According to David Testen, many north- and south-west Semitic languages have particles that bear similarities to al-.^[10] With this fact, he posits that al- has a proto-Semitic antecedent.

There are three major theories regarding the form of the proto-Semitic particle that is the putative antecedent of al-:^[11]

• hal;
• ha;
• ‘a;

David Testen and Jacob Weingreen state that هل۔/הל־ hal is the correct antecedent.

Supporters of this theory^[who?] sometimes cite the Arabic word for 'this', هذا hādhā, which, when combined with a definite phrase, has been known to become shortened from هذا البيت hādhā al-bayt (this house) to هلبيت hal-bayt. Some grammarians^[who?] argue against the citation of hal-bayt, stating that it is merely a shortening of the demonstrative pronoun.

Weingreen also states that the original form of the Hebrew ha- was, in fact, hal.^[12] Hebrew, then, dropped the final l to achieve ha-, while Arabic softened the h- to a hamza, resulting in al-.^[11]

Phonology[link]

The phonology of al- is the study of its constituent letters and vowels, and of its pronunciation in different dialects and in different lexical circumstances.

[edit] The "hamza" in al-

A classical (and largely one sided) debate in regards to al- is whether the hamza is volatile or not. The majority opinion is that of Sibawayh (d. ca. 797) who considers the hamza volatile.^[13] In his opinion, neither is the hamza part of al-, nor does it contribute to the definiteness of the following word.

Khalīl, Ibn Keisān, and Akhfash, on the other hand, consider the hamza to be non-volatile.^[14] There is a further debate amongst the proponents of this second theory. Some consider the hamza non-volatile and they assert that it contributes to the definiteness of the following word. Others assert that the hamza contributes to the definiteness of the following word, but it is still volatile.^[15]

In his defence, Khalīl argues that when a word prefixed with al- is preceded by the interrogative hamza, the two hamzas mix.^[16] For example, when the word الآن al-āna (now) is prefixed with it, the result is آلآن āl-āna. Clearly, the hamza of al- does not drop in this case, even though there is no further purpose for it.

Khalīl further argues that the only reason the hamza in al- is ever dropped is not because it is volatile, but due to excessive usage. When asked why the lām in al- wasn’t simply given a vowel if it is so heavily used and needs to be easier to pronounce, followers of Khalīl give the following response: Had the lām been given a fatḥa, it would have been confused with the asseverative-cum-precative particle.^[17] Had it been given a kasra, it would have been confused with the genitival particle.^[18] And it could not have been given a ḍamma in fear of the following vowel being a kasra or ḍamma (which would result in awkward pronunciations as in لإبل *lu-ibil or لعنق *lu-‘unuq).^[19]

Despite the myriad of proofs for the argument, in most classical grammatical camps and in modern Arabic, the opinion of Sibawayh is often taken as an axiomatic fact.^[20] There are many proofs and counter-proofs, but the overarching argument in favour of this opinion is as follows. The lām in al- is the only lām particle in the language with a sukūn (to avoid confusion, as mentioned). Hence it requires a volatile hamza.^[21] Moreover, al- is a particle and Arabic particles do not drop letters (without losing their meanings or connotations). Yet we see the hamza in al- dropping all the time. Therefore it must be volatile, otherwise al- would lose its ability to render the following word definite^[19].

Consequently, it turns out that the hamza in al- is considered the only volatile hamza in the language that has a fatḥa vowel.

[edit] The lām in al-

In very early Semitic languages, definiteness was achieved through gemination of the first letter in a word.^[22] For example, the word kitāb would be made definite by ak-kitāb. An additional benefit of this construction was to connote "determination".^[23] The lām in the Arabic al- was thus a result of a dissimilation process.^[24]

In Arabic, this gemination occurs when the word to which al- is prefixed begins with one of the fourteen sun letters.^[25] Twelve of these letters (including lām) are originally designed to geminate. Ḍād and shīn have been included due to their similarities in pronunciation with lām and ţā, respectively.^[26] For example, the word الرجل al-rajul 'the man' is actually pronounced "ar-rajul". Notice that the lām is written but not pronounced.

In more modern dialects, the sun letters have been extended to include the velars gīm and kāf.^[27]

A final point to note is that the ancient tribe of Banū Hamīr replace the lām in al- with mīm. The Prophet of Islam is recorded to have uttered the following words in that dialect:^[28]

[edit] The vowels in al-

Regardless of whether the hamza in al- is volatile or not, it is read with a fatḥa when beginning speech with the definite article. For example, if one vocalizes the word البيت 'the house' after a pause, it will be pronounced "al-bayt". In fact, the hamza in al- is largely considered to be the only volatile hamza that has a fatḥa vowel.

If, however, al- is vocalized in the middle of speech, the hamza will be dropped in pronunciation. As a result, the vowel preceding the definite article will be linked to the lām of al-. For example, بابُ البيت (vocalized without any pauses) is pronounced "bābu l-bayt", بابَ البيت is pronounced "bāba l-bayt", and بابِ البيت is pronounced "bābi l-bayt".

If the word onto which al- is prefixed starts with a hamza, then the vowel from that hamza may transfer to the lām of al-, after which the hamza will drop in pronunciation.^[29] See #Allah for an example. If this hamza is volatile, this option becomes an obligation. An example is in the phrase بِئْشَ الإسْمُ bi’sa al-ismu. This phrase is read as بِئْشَ الاِسْمُ "bi’sa lismu" (Qur'an 49:11). This is a rule relating to hamza, and not in direct relation to al-. Moreover, it is a rare occurrence and is almost never applied in spoken varieties of modern or classical Arabic.

[edit] Separating al- from its host word

Al- has been recorded to separate from its host word as in the following couplet:^[30]

The al- in بذال has been recorded both with and without the alif. It has been stripped from its host word شحم due to the meter of the couplet. It has then been repeated in the second half of the couplet reattached to its host.^[31] This is a very rare occurrence and is only recorded in poetry.

Lexicology[link]

Definiteness[link]

The primary and most profuse function of al- is to render the following word definite. This is known as تعريف العهد. This function is of two types:^[32]

• ذكري: when the word being referred to has already been mentioned. An example is found in the word messenger in "We had sent to Pharaoh a messenger. But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger..." (Qur'an 73:15-6).
• ذهني: when the word being referred to is understood by the listener. An example is found in the word battle in "The battle is getting worse; I think we should retreat."

There is also a special type of ذهني known as "the al- for غلبة”. The noun on which the al- is prefixed, in this case, is never explicitly mentioned but the listener knows what is being referred to.^[33] For example, the word الكتاب al-kitāb (the book) may actually refer to the classical book of Arabic grammar written by Sibawayh. Whenever grammarians talk about "the book", this is what they mean and it is always understood without explanation.

Class nouns[link]

One of the functions of al- is to render the noun onto which it is prefixed a class noun.^[34] For example, the word الأسد “al-asad” can mean ‘the lion’, referring to a specific lion, or ‘the lion’ in the sense ‘the lion is a dangerous animal’.

Notice that the meaning connoted by this function of al- is indefinite, which is in stark contrast with the primary function of the definite article. Because of this meaning, the noun following al- will be grammatically indefinite and one may, for example, modify the noun without the use of a relative pronoun.^[35] An example of this is seen in the following couplet of poetry:

Encompassing a genus[link]

Al- may be used to encompass all the individuals of a genus.^[36] For example, الأسد “al-asad” can be used to mean ‘all lions’. This function is called استغراق. One is encouraged to use caution when employing this form of al- as it may be confused with its other meanings.

In order for al- to be in this capacity, it is necessary that it be interchangeable with the word كل kull 'all'.^[34] Some classical grammarians assert that this kull may be figurative, in which case al-, in this capacity, would be a form of exaggeration.^[37]

The most well known use of al- in this meaning occurs twice in the Qur'anic verse 1:1, الحمد لله رب العالمين (all praise is due to Allah, lord of all the worlds).

Indicating presence[link]

Al- is often used in words to indicate the presence of something.^[38] For example, اليوم “al-yawm” means ‘this day’ i.e. ‘today’. In modern Arabic, this function is largely idiomatic and does not carry over to new words.

At the beginning of names[link]

Al- may be prefixed to names that are derived from Arabic nouns. This function is known as لمح الصفة. The purpose of doing this is to point toward the meaning of the one named.^[39] For example, the name عديل ‘Adīl (meaning 'just') may be read العديل "al-‘Adīl" to allude to the fact that ‘Adīl is a just person.

In modern Arabic, however, this type of al- is largely idiomatic. That is to say, names traditionally prefixed with al- are kept as such and names without al- are also kept as such; the connotation of this al- is ignored.

When it comes to alphabetic ordering, some sources will list names according to the al- while others will ignore it.

Extra[link]

Al- is sometimes prefixed to words without giving any grammatical benefit. This may occur in poetry, in which case the purpose may be to maintain metre, rhythm, or rhyme.

It may also occur elsewhere to give a rhetorical benefit. For example, the al- attached to the relative pronoun الذي al-ladhī (that/which/etc) is considered to be extra, because relative pronouns are already definite and there is no use for the al-.^[40] Al- is perpetually and necessarily attached to this word in most Arabic dialects, because without it the word would read لذي ladhī, which sounds awkward.^[41] Thus its purpose is not a lexical or grammatical one, but a rhetorical one.

In the above example, the extra al- is necessary. There are other cases where it is extra but not necessary. An example is in the following phrase:^[42]

The word أول “awwal” (first) is considered حال “ḥāl” (a type of object in grammar) in the above phrase. This type of object is typically indefinite according to most classical and modern grammarians.^[43] So the al- attached to it is unnecessarily extra.

Miscellaneous[link]

• Jamīl Shāmi asserts that there is a type of al- that connotes the essence of something^[38]. For example, "And we made from water every living thing ..." (Qur'an 21:30) can be translated as "And we made from the essence of water (i.e., from the compound H₂O) every living thing ..."
• Shāmi also cites a usage of al- as an interrogative particle.^[44] For example, ال فعلت al fa‘alta' (did you do it?). Notice that the al- stands alone and un-prefixed here.

Grammar[link]

At the beginning of particles (ḥarf) and verbs (fi‘l)[link]

Al- is a particle (ḥarf)^[45] in the Arabic language. Like most (but not all) particles, it is not prefixed to other particles. That is because particles are never in need of any of the lexical meanings or grammatical inflections provided by al-.

Similarly, al- is not prefixed to verbs. However, it has been seen on verbs in poetry, as in the following couplets^[46] by Dhu al-Kharq al-Tahawi (ذو الخرق الطهوي):

Several opinions exist to explain this aberrant al-. The following is a precis of different Arabic scholars' views as given in Khizanat al-Adab. One view is that al- is a relative pronoun here, similar to alladhī (الذي), allatī (التي), etc. in Arabic. This is the view of Ibn Hisham and Al-Akhfash al-Akbar.^[47] This opinion is in harmony with the form of the general relative pronoun (alli, illi, al) in most Arabic dialects nowadays. If this view is correct, this aberrant al- does not follow the sun and moon letters rule.

• (The Cairene Arabic-Language Academy) have stated in their dictionary (al-Mu‘jam ul-Waṣīt) that The Academy approved the use of the prefix al- as a relative pronoun with imperfective verbs.^[48] It's mainly used to denote ability, in-ability or possibility (eg. -able in English). Eg. al-yu’kal :The edible, al-yurā :The see-able; and with the particle -lā- for in-ability: al-lā-yu’kal :The non-edible, al-lā-silkī :The wireless, etc...

When al- occurs in places where we would not normally expect it, it is considered extra as far as grammar and lexicology are concerned. This is the view of al-Kisā’ī.^[47]

Al- is used by poets to complete the meter of the verse under poetic license. This is the view of Ibn Malik, the author of the Alfiyyah; it is rejected by the author of the Khizānat al-Adab.^[47]

[edit] At the beginning of nouns (ism)

The terms noun and ism have been used synonymously in this section

Because nouns require the functions provided by al- (namely definiteness), al- is prefixed to them. Ism, as defined in classical Arabic grammar, includes all parts of speech save particles and verbs: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.

As a general rule, al- may be prefixed to any ism, regardless of gender, plurality, grammatical case, etc. However, this rule has some pathological caveats. That is, there are some nouns that al- may never be prefixed to, and there are others that al- must always be prefixed to.

Prohibited prefixation[link]

Nouns that do not inflect for definiteness[link]

The definite article al- is not typically prefixed to nouns that do not inflect for definiteness. Examples include the interrogative مَن man 'who'.

Already definite nouns[link]

The definite article al- is not typically prefixed to nouns that are already definite.^[49] Examples include personal pronouns, relative pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, nouns already prefixed with al-, etc.

Exceptions to this include the prefixation of al- to the relative pronoun الذي (see #Extra) and to proper nouns (see #At the beginning of names). As a concrete example, al- has been recorded at the beginning of a demonstrative pronoun, as in the following poetic verse:^[50]

[edit] The genitival construction (iḍāfa)

Al- is not prefixed to non-final nouns in a genitival construction (Iḍāfa).^[51] For example, in شوارع المدينة shawāri‘ al-madīna” (the city’s streets), the word شوارع is a non-final noun in the genitival construction. Hence, it cannot be prefixed with al- (it is already definite by virtue of the construction).

Exceptions to this include genitival constructions where the first noun is a participle and the second noun is its object.^[52] This can be done if one of the following conditions is met.^[53]

• the first noun is dual; e.g. الضاربا زيد
• the first noun is sound masculine plural; e.g. الضاربو زيد
• the second noun also has al-; e.g. الضارب الرجل
• the second noun is the first noun of another genitival construction, and the second noun in this other construction has al-; e.g. الضارب رأسِ الرجلِ
• the second noun is suffixed to a pronoun which refers to a noun that has al-; e.g. مررتُ بالرجل الضاربِ غلامِه

Al- has also been seen in poetic verses prefixed to non-final nouns in a genitival construction. An example is in the following couplet^[44]:

Furthermore, the grammatical school of Kufa allows al- on the first noun in a genitival construction if it is a number.^[54] For example, the phrase ثلاثة اقلام “thalāthat aqlām” (three pens) may be read الثلاثة اقلام “al-thalāthat aqlām”.

Vocation[link]

According to the Basra school of classical grammar, al- does not typically follow the particles of vocation.^[55] For example, one will not say يا الرجل “yā ar-rajul” (O the man).

The proponents of the Basra camp give two exceptions.

• the word “Allah”; one may say يا الله “yā Allah” (O God) with or without pronouncing the hamza in “Allah”.^[56]
• direct quotation; one may say, for example, يا الحسن “yā al-Ḥasan” (O al-Hasan) to someone named al-Hasan.^[57]

However, the Kufa camp of classical grammar, as well as many modern grammarians, allow al- to be prefixed to the object of vocation almost unconditionally.^[58] An example is given in the following couplet of poetry:^[59]

Under this scheme, if the object of vocation is a single word and it is feminine, the particle of vocation will be followed by the particle ايتها ayyatuhā. And if it is masculine, it will be followed by the particle ايها ayyuhā.^[60]

[edit] Nunation (tanwīn)

According to the classical grammarians Farrā and Kasā’ī, the overarching purpose of nunation is to differentiate between nouns and verbs.^[61] Thus a noun is given nunation so that it won’t be confused with a verb; for example the name جعفر would have been confused with a quatralateral verb had it not been for nunation. Additionally, we know that al- prefixed to verbs. Therefore, when al- is prefixed to a noun, there is no longer any danger of the noun being confused with a verb, and so the nunation is no longer needed. Hence, no noun has both al- and nunation simultaneously.^[62]

However, there are some types of nunation whose purpose is not to differentiate between nouns and verbs. Such types include تنوين ترنم (a type of nunation converted from an alif at the end of poetic couplets) and تنوين غالي (a type of nunation used to maintain the metre of a poem).

An example of the first type in conjunction with al- is found in the following couplet of poetry:^[63]

And an example of the second type in conjunction with al- is found in the verse below:^[64]

Necessary prefixation[link]

There are some nouns that are invariably seen with al-. Examples include the relative pronoun الذي al-ladhī (that/which/etc).^[40].

[edit] Al- on numbers

Al- may be prefixed to the first part of a number between 11 and 19.^[65] For example, احد عشر aḥada ‘ashar (eleven) may be read as الاحد عشر "al-aḥada ‘ashar".

In the case of a compound number (21-29, 31-39, ..., 91-99), al- may be prefixed to both parts. For example, واحد وعشرون wāḥid wa-‘ishrūn” (twenty-one) may be read as الواحد والعشرون "al-wāḥid wa-al-‘ishrūn".^[66]

[edit] Al- on participles

When al- is prefixed to a participle, it acts like a relative pronoun.^[67] For the purposes of this rule, participles include اسم فاعل (the active participle), اسم مفعول (the passive participle), الصفة المشبهة (another participle in Arabic), etc. For example, مررت بالراكب خيله. This is translated as “I passed by the man who was riding his steed” as opposed to something like “I passed by the rider of his steed.” Consequently, all the rules of Arabic relative pronouns and their clauses will apply here.

It is widely accepted in Arabic grammar that a participle can carry tense. This tense, however, is typically limited to the present and future. But when we use the above construction, the past can be connoted by the participle as well due to the nature of relative clauses. For example, one may say مررت بالراكب خيله أمس (I passed by the man who was riding his steed yesterday).

Some grammarians, however, say that it is only the past that can be connoted in this construction; the option of connoting the present and future is no longer available. And others say that no tense at all can be connoted.^[68]

[edit] Effects of al- on grammatical case

Al- has very few contributions to the grammatical case of a noun. However, it is worth mentioning that it turns second-declension nouns (ghayr munṣarif) into first declension nouns by allowing the kasra vowel.^[69]

Moreover, al- brings back the ي letter in an ism manqūṣ that is in the nominative or genitive case. Without the al-, the ي in such nouns is omitted and replaced by nunation.

Allah[link]

Of special interest is the origins of the word Allah. While some scholars trace this word to a Hebrew origin (see El (God)), many modern scholars propose that it was derived from the word الإلـه “al-ilāh” (the god). Proponents of this theory point towards the fact that the lām in al- is followed by a hamza. They say that the kasra from that hamza transferred to the lām and the hamza itself dropped (see #The vowels in al-), resulting in الِلـه “alilāh”. Notice here that the volatile hamza does not drop from pronunciation even though it is no longer required. Then the two lāms geminated, producing الّـه "allāh". Furthermore, the resulting lām was emphasized in pronunciation out of reverence for the name of God. And finally, the written word was given a special script and is written as follows: الله.

See also[link]

• Arabic grammar
• Arabic phonology
• Grammatical particle
• Influence of Arabic on other languages
• Sun and moon letters

Notes[link]

Constructs such as ibid., loc. cit. and idem are discouraged by Wikipedia's style guide for footnotes, as they are easily broken. Please improve this article by replacing them with named references (quick guide), or an abbreviated title. (May 2010)

References[link]

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• Taftahzāni, Mas‘ūd ibn ‘Umar (d. 1389) (2000). Mukhtaṣar al-Ma‘ānī. Karachi: Qadeem Kutub Khaana. 
• Testen, David (1998). Parallels in Semitic Linguistics: The Development of Arabic La- and Related Semitic Particles. Boston: Brill. 
• Weingreen, Jacob (1967). A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew (2nd ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. 
• Zajjājī, ‘Abd al-Raḥman ibn Isḥāq (d. 950) (1984). Kitāb Ḥurūf al-Ma‘ānī. Beirut: Mu’assasat al--Risālah. 
• Kitāb al-Lāmāt. Damascus: Majma‘ al-Lughah al-‘Arabīyah. 
• Zamakhsharī, Maḥmūd ibn ‘Umar (d. 1144). al-Mufaṣṣal fī ‘Ilm al-‘Arabīyah. See Sakhāwī. 

External links[link]

Look up ال in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• What's Up With "Al-"? at Slate

This article is about the American rapper, for the notorious gangster, see Al Capone

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2012)

Alphonzo Bailey, better known by his stage name Al Kapone, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. Al Kapone is known principally for his underground success in the Memphis hip hop scene in the 1990s, and latter role in a number of more contemporary songs.

Career[link]

After a decade of cultivating underground cult status in Memphis, Al Kapone began to achieve some mainstream success starting with his role on the soundtrack to the film, Hustle & Flow. The soundtrack included one solo track, titled "Get Crunk, Get Buck". He also wrote and produced "Whoop That Trick" and wrote "Hustle & Flow (It Ain't Over)", both tracks performed by Djay.^[1] His song "The Deepest Hood" featured in the 2007 film, Stomp the Yard.

Kapone collaborated with several musicians including E-40, Mike Jones, Too Short, Pimp C, Pastor Troy and D-Shot. He co-wrote E-40's "U and Dat" and Lil' Jon's "Snap Yo Fingers" and appeared on fellow Memphis hip hoppers Three 6 Mafia's album, Last 2 Walk, and 8Ball & MJG's, Ridin High.

He has toured with DJ Charlie White and guitarist Matt Uselton,^[2] as well as with six piece band of Memphis musicians called Tha Untouchablez.

Kapone lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife.

Discography[link]

• 1992: "Lyrical Drive-By" (indie single)
• 1992: Street Knowledge: Chpaters 1-12
• 1994: Pure Ghetto Anger
• 1994: Sinista Funk
• 1995: '[Da Resurrection
• 1995: Memphiz Undaground Hustlaz Vol. 1
• 1997: What Cha Got
• 1998: Memphis to the Bombed out Bay
• 2001: Alakatraz Ridaz: The Present & the Past (with Taylor Boyz & Sir Vince)
• 2001: Alkatraz Ridaz Chapter 2 (with Taylor Boyz)
• 2001: Memphis Drama Vol. 1
• 2002: Memphis Drama Vol. 2
• 2002: The Best of Memphis Drama Vol. 1 & 2 Chopped & Screwed
• 2002: Goin' All Out
• 2003: Memphis Untouchables (with The Jerk & Kingpin Skinny Pimp)
• 2003: Memphis Drama Vol. 3: Outta Town Luv
• 2005: Memphis Drama Vol. 4: Crunk Roots
• 2005: Showdown (with Mr. Sche)
• 2005: Whoop That Trick
• 2008: Poppin' Tags (EP)
• 2008: Al Kapeezy Oh Boy - The Hits!!
• 2008: Showdown: Reloaded (with Mr. Sche)
• 2010: Godfather EP
• 2010: Guitar Bump
• 2010: The Kapeezy Soul Hop Experience

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

Al Horford

Horford with the Hawks
No. 15 – Atlanta Hawks
Center / Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1986-06-03) June 3, 1986 (age 26) Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Nationality	Dominican
High school	Grand Ledge (Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
College	Florida (2004–2007)
NBA Draft	2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career	2007–present
League	NBA
Career history
2007–present	Atlanta Hawks
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA All-Star (2010–2011) All-NBA Third Team (2011) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2008) 2× NCAA Champion (2006–2007)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Competitor for the  Dominican Republic Men's Basketball FIBA Americas Championship Bronze 2011 Argentina Team Centrobasket Bronze 2008 Mexico Team

Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986) is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Horford played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was the starting center on the Florida Gators teams that won back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2006 and 2007. He also plays for the Dominican Republic national team. On December 24, 2011, he married singer and 2003 Miss Universe Amelia Vega.^[1]

Early years and high school career[link]

Horford was born in the city of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic, an island more famous for producing baseball players, produced Horford's father Tito Horford. Tito Horford was recruited by Marian Christian High School in Houston out of the Dominican Republic and attended Louisiana State University and the University of Miami. He was drafted in the second round of the 1988 NBA draft, and played three years in the NBA and several more overseas. Horford's mother Arelis Reynoso was a journalist. Horford grew up watching his father play and fell in love with the game. In the summer of 2000, Horford and his family moved to Lansing, Michigan, where he attended Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Michigan, and was a star player on its basketball team. At Grand Ledge, Horford holds to this day seven school records, including most career points, with 1239. As a senior he was Class A Player of The Year, averaging 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. While at Grand Ledge, Horford played AAU basketball for the Michigan Mustangs, who were runner-ups in the Adidas Big Time National Tournament.^[2] He was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.^[3]

College career[link]

Horford accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators men's basketball team from 2004 to 2007. He was a member of the Gators' 2004 recruiting class, together with fellow incoming freshmen Joakim Noah, Taurean Green, and Corey Brewer. He made an immediate impact as a Gator, starting at center in the front-court with David Lee. He helped the Gators win the 2005 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship.

Horford in college

He started his sophomore season without many expectations. Many people^[who?] did not believe that the Gators would be very good in the 2005-06 season, losing three starters from the previous year's team. The Gators, with Horford's help, surged through the season, winning the SEC Championship. They entered the 2006 NCAA Tournament as a number 3 seed. Horford showed great leadership as he and the Gators swept through the first four rounds to reach the Final Four. The Gators beat the Cinderella story of the tournament, George Mason, to reach the final. Then they beat UCLA in the championship, where Horford had 14 points and 7 rebounds.^[4]

Horford and the Gators started the 2006-07 season with the goal of repeating as national champions. In December 2006, Horford missed a series of games due to an injury. Coach Donovan held him out of a game against Stetson University in hopes that he would be adequately healed for a December 23 showdown in Gainesville against the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. One day before the game, Donovan announced that Horford would be unable to play. However, Horford entered the game from the bench to guard Ohio State player Greg Oden, a highly-touted 7'0" (2.13 m) freshman. Horford tried to contain Oden, holding him to just seven points (well below Oden's season average of just over 15). Horford himself scored eleven points, adding eleven rebounds in limited action. The Gators beat the Buckeyes in what is now regarded as not just a great game, but also one of Florida's best-played games at the O'Connell Center.^{[citation needed]}

On the final home game of the season, on March 4, 2007 against Kentucky, Horford became the fourth on his team to score 1,000 career points, on a free throw in the second half. He needed 14 points during the game to reach the milestone, and scored exactly the number needed.^[5]

On April 2, 2007, Horford and the rest of the Gators became the first team to repeat as national champions since the 1991-1992 Duke Blue Devils, and the first ever to do so with the same starting lineup. Then in May 2007, Horford, Taurean Green, Joakim Noah, and Corey Brewer all announced they would leave early for the NBA.

According to an interview on Rome is Burning with Jim Rome on March 18, 2009, Horford said that he finished his degree at Florida in the summer after his rookie year in the NBA.

NBA career[link]

Atlanta Hawks (2007-present)[link]

Horford shoots a free throw during the 2008 NBA Playoffs

Horford was quickly picked by many fans as a top-5 pick in the draft.^[6] On June 28, 2007, he was selected 3rd overall by Atlanta Hawks in the 2007 NBA Draft behind Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.^[7] Horford was considered to be an opening day starter because of his unique combination of skills such as the ability to shoot, pass, rebound and defend multiple positions. Horford made a big impact on the Hawks in his rookie year, starting 77 out of 82 games and averaging 10.1 points, and 9.7 rebounds. During his 2007–2008 rookie season, Horford was honored as Rookie of the Month on four separate occasions: November, February, March and April.^[8] His great rookie campaign made Horford a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie first team. Horford's efforts helped the Hawks gain the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks gave the #1 seed Boston Celtics a challenge, taking them to 7 games. In the series Horford averaged 12.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.

Horford looked to improve on his rookie season his sophomore year. On February 16, 2008, Horford played in the NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge. He had 19 points and 7 rebounds as the rookies were defeated by the sophomores.^[9] Horford improved on his sophomore year, averaging 11.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks. The Hawks also improved, becoming the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference, and beat the Miami Heat in 7 games before being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next round. Coming into his third season the Hawks made some improvements to the team, adding shooting guard Jamal Crawford. Horford once again improved on his prior year, averaging 14.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 2.4 assists. Horford was named to Eastern Conference All-Star Team, and in the All-Star Game he put up 8 points and 4 rebounds. The Hawks once again qualified for the playoffs, this time as the 3rd seed. The Hawks were swept by Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in the second round. Horford improved once again in his fourth NBA season, averaging 15.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks. Horford was selected to the All-Star game as a reserve, and was also selected to the All-NBA Third Team.

On January 11, 2012, Horford sustained an injury to his left shoulder that appeared to be mild. However, results later showed that he had torn his pectoral muscle.^[10] He missed the rest of the regular season, not returning to game action until Game 4 of Atlanta's first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Personal[link]

Horford was selected to be on the packaging of the video game NBA Ballers: Chosen One with fellow center of the Orlando Magic Dwight Howard.^[11] Horford has a younger brother named Jon Horford currently attending the University of Michigan. Horford's father Tito Horford was an NBA player. Horford's uncle Kelly Horford played for Florida Atlantic University in the 90's.^[12] Horford is a member of the Nike basketball brand.^[13] Horford appeared in a music video for Ciara's song Never Ever. He married former Miss Universe Amelia Vega on December 24, 2011, in the Dominican Republic.^[1]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	College basketball portal

• 2005–06 Florida Gators men's basketball team
• 2006–07 Florida Gators men's basketball team
• Florida Gators
• List of Florida Gators basketball players

References[link]

External links[link]

• The official Website of Al Horford
• Al Horford at NBA.com
• Official Florida bio

Edin Džeko

Personal information
Full name	Edin Džeko
Date of birth	(1986-03-17) 17 March 1986 (age 26)
Place of birth	Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Manchester City
Number	10
Youth career
1996–2003	Željezničar
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2005	Željezničar	40	(5)
2005–2007	Teplice	43	(16)
2005	→ Ústí nad Labem (loan)	15	(6)
2007–2011	VfL Wolfsburg	111	(66)
2011–	Manchester City	45	(16)
National team‡
2003–2004	Bosnia & Herzegovina U19	5	(0)
2006–2007	Bosnia & Herzegovina U21	4	(1)
2007–	Bosnia & Herzegovina	44	(21)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:13, 13 May 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:42, 1 June 2012 (UTC)

Edin Džeko (Bosnian pronunciation: [ˈɛdin ˈdʒɛkɔ]) (born 17 March 1986) is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester City and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. He was named Bosnian Footballer of the Year for 2009 and 2010.^[1] In Bosnia and Herzegovina, he is known as Bosanski dijamant (The Bosnian Diamond).^[2][3] He has also played for Željezničar, FK Teplice, FK Ústí nad Labem and Wolfsburg.

Džeko has played 44 times for his country and scored 21 goals since 2007, becoming second highest Bosnian goal scorer of all time, a single goal short of Elvir Bolić. He scored nine goals during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, finishing as top scorer of Group 5. He made a name for himself while playing for Wolfsburg, with whom he won the Bundesliga in the 2008–09 season. He was second highest goal scorer with 26 goals. In the 2009–10 season, Džeko was the top scorer with 22 Goals. He also registered ten assists each in both seasons.

He scored an important equalizer for Manchester City in the 80th minute of the match during the fourth round match of the 2011 FA Cup against Notts County which ended in a 1–1 draw.^[4] His goal forced a replay for Manchester City and an FA Cup triumph. Džeko scored the only goal of the game in a 1–0 win against Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League on 25 April 2011 to ensure the club would directly qualify for their first ever Champions League tournament. Manchester City finished the season third, three points ahead of Arsenal.

During the 2011–12 season, Džeko scored four goals in one game for Manchester City, completing a "perfect hat-trick" against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.^[5] On the final day of the 2011–12 season, Džeko scored an equaliser against Queens Park Rangers in the 92nd minute, before Sergio Agüero won it for City with seconds to go, ensuring the team won a Premier League title for the first time in 44 years.^[6][7]

Club career[link]

Early career[link]